A federal judge has dismissed charges filed against former Texas State Rep. Tara Rios-Ybarra and three others in a medicaid fraud case.
The Brownsville-based dentist and other three defendants are off the hook in the alleged oral surgery fraud scheme.
Charges were also dismissed against dental professionals Diana Woo Paparelli, Colber J. Glenn and Willis David Egger.
U.S. District Court Judge Randy Crane is still expected to sign and post the final paperwork but announced the decision in a Wednesday afternoon hearing.
Rios-Ybarra did not want to comment about the case but was smiling after the hearing.
The former Texas state representative said she was pleased with the judge's decision.
"Thank you so much for coming and we'll be releasing a statement shortly," Rios said outside the federal courthouse.
Neither the other defendants in the case nor their attorneys wanted to comment on the judge's decision.
Court records show that Judge Crane's decision came one day after a sealed event happened on Tuesday.
Rios-Ybarra's defense attorney Eric Reed said he could not talk about the case but said they are waiting on final doucments from Judge Crane's court.
Federal court records show that charges were dropped against Rene L. Thornton on Monday and Magdalena Garza Cazares in January.
Jury selection for the only remaining defendant, oral surgeon Gary Morgan Schwarz, is expected to start on Thursday morning.
Ybarra lost her seat as District 43 state representative to J.M. Lozano of Kingsville during the Democratic Party Primaries in March 2010.
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